Social media posts and Hemmings News have reported that the popular Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, 610 Lairport St El Segundo, CA 90245 near Los Angeles Airport will be closing to the public on Oct. 27. This is the 3rd major California automotive museum to shutter in the past several months after the Murphy and Mullin museums in Oxnard.
Though the closure is just a few weeks away LCOC members, family and friends still have a bit of time to enjoy the Zimmerman. No reason was given for the closing of the museum, which was founded in 2002 with a mission to “collect, preserve, exhibit and ride in historic vehicles.”
The museum did not say what would become of its roughly 130-vehicle collection, or the El Segundo building it occupies.
“We are saddened to be leaving, and grateful that we made so many lasting connections in the automotive community,” the museum said in its announcement. “We look forward to our last month open, and welcome everyone to come check us out one last time.” The museum will be open from Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will continue its trademark Sunday Rides every Sunday in October. Event rentals will continue to operate through the end of December, and the Bayside Cafe will remain open on weekends through December 29.
The photos below are from a February 2021 event held there when most facilities were closed because of the Covid pandemic.
The museum was founded by automobile collector Stanley Zimmerman and architect Earl Rubenstein. Zimmerman, who was the principal sponsor, died in 2020; in a 2018 interview, he said that Rubenstein was no longer involved in the museum.
The Sunday Rides were the keystone of the museum. Zimmerman wanted people to experience the cars as he did, and so visitors were offered the opportunity to take a ride with one of the museum’s drivers around town, at no charge.
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